The National tribune., 1887-01-27
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.

AVh hlSit NVhIioNOo All -hVh7 'HN
Line.
Gettysburg.
Eugene F. Hawley, 5th Conn, Collinsyille,
Conn. referring 10 the inquiry of Comrade
Dixon, Slst Ohio, Was Gettysburg Decisive
Battle" declares most emphatically that it
was the turning-point of the war. In sup
port Of this he cites the leading facts connected
with that campaign and the opinions Of the
best authorities on the subject. The Confed-
crate invasion Of the North was failure. Had
the Union army been defeated at Gettysburg,
the disaster to the Union cause and 10 the lead
ing States Of tho East and North would have
been incalculable. lie says the rebels did not
retreat leisurely," but their movements were
greatly accelerated by the fire Of Meades bat
teries and the hayonets Of tho Army of the Po-
iOnac ut their heels. His regiment belonged 10
the First Brigade. First Division, Twelfth Corps,
aud on the evening of July 2, after Picketts
charge, was sent 10 the support Of Gregg's cav
airy. Very early in the morning OF the attn
they occupied Gettysburg without opposition,
the enemy having retired during the night.
Gen. Meade moved Immediately in pursuit aud
crowded Lee until he was safely across the Po-
tomac with the remnant of his army. Gen.
Meade has been criticized for not attacking Lee
during the pursuit, but the writer thinks that
u4utf all tic aAAfh tue llAh Va
wisdom in not bringing on another engagement
He SAYS he had considerable experience in the
West with the Twelfth Corps aud he would
much rather fight Pat Cleburne than Stone
wall Jackson.
Joseph Borland, Co. F, 139th Pa, Vanloncia
Pa, takes up the question asked by COmrade
Dixon. 3lst Ohio, as TO Gettysburg being de-
cisiye battle. lie says the Army OF the POto-
mas always considered il n victory, and had
! good reason to do so. He says one of the
monuments on the field near the spot where
| Gen. Hancock was wounded bears the inscrip-
| tion, igh Water Mark of the Rebellion" lie
| informs Comrade Dixon that Gen. Meade DAD
not wait two days before pursuing Lee. HIS
regiment, belonging TO the Sixth Corps, was
close in the rear of the flying rebels.
The Atlanta Campaign.
L. A. Labadie, 18th Mich, Petoskey, Mich,
says that the Second Brigade, Third Divis-
ion. Twentieth Corps, consisting of the
10th Mich, 22d Wis, sd and s5th Ind,
insisted in the capture Of the guns at Re-
SAGA concerning which there has been so
| much controversy. He says that his regiment
lost If killed and GO wounded, Of whom % died.
The other regiments of the brigade lost in
about the same proportion. He wishes TO say TO
Comrade Stacey, Co ID, 55th Ohio, that the
| Third Brigade. Third Division, Twentieth
Corps, should have equal credit with the Second
| Brigade Of that Division for the occupation OF
Atlanta He is confident that the Mayor sur
rendered the city TO Col Colourn, SD Ind.
S. ID. Reaper, Co. A, 41st Ohio, Youngstown,
o., says that Comrade Harrington, Co. T,
18th u. S. Inf, shoots wide Of the mark in try
ing TO correct the sketch written by COmrade
Mcmahon 4lst Ohio, on the battle of New
Hope Church. Harrington says he was wounded
there on May %, while the writer says the bat
BILE took place on the 9th. lie was with the
4lst Ohio at the time, and participated in the
charge made by his brigade, the Second Of the
Third Division, Fourth Corps, as described by
Mcmahon. He thinks no part OF the Four
teenth Corps was engaged in the fight on the
9th.
George Pressler, 93d Ohio, Somerset, Ind
replying TO Comrade Harrington, 18th Wis.
says that no part Of the Fourteenth Corps partic-
ipsted in the battle of Picketts Mills, Ca on
May 81, 1864. Part of that corps may have
been at New Hope Church, but the Fourth Corps
fought the battle of Pickett's Mills. He says
he never saw so many men fall in so short
time as in that engagement.
| &. Reed, Co. ID, 18th Ohio refers 10 the sug
gestion of Adj't Bird, 35th ILL.,, that il would
have been better If Gen. Which had used hi;
lungs instead Of his bugles in giving orders al
New Hope Church. May %, 1864. The writer
wishes 10 remind him that few days before, al
Resaca, Gen. Which received 4 musket- ball
which went directly through those iusty lungs
Of his which kept him of duty for more thar
year.
Michael Rusk, Co. F, s5th Ind, Milligan
Ind. says he would not be without THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE IL il cost So year HC
greatly enjoys the letters from the comrades
even though some of them do "stretch tn,
blanket" He cautions Comrade Niederauer
Faulkton, Oak, that if he is not careful he vii
tear the blanket, when he denies that Col
Coburn, 33d Ind, received the surrender o
Atlanta from the Mayor, and don't You forge
it."
John W. Cusick. Corporal, Co. G, 3Oth Ohio
says he is greatly interested in the articles re
ferring to the capture aud recapture of ID,
Gress's battery, In the battle of Atlanta. Ii,
differs from one Of his comrades in regard {,
! the facts. He says the 30th Ohio was on thu
right of the railroad and on the right flank o
the regiment DE Gress's battery was sta
toned, supported by Go. ii. After the gun
were taken by the enemy, Gen. Logan rod
through the thickest of the fight waving hi
sword, rallying the troops and re-establishin,
the line. The 30th Ohio advanced TO its for
mer position and retoolS the battery.
L. i. Kicker, Co. Ii, 90th Ohio, Rendville, o.
proncunces absurd the claim Of Comrade Smitl
in regard 10 the firing of the shot that killet
Gen. Polk. He says there is no question tina
|, the shots were fired by SimonsOn's 9th Ind
battery, under the personal direction Of Gen
, sherman. Brave Capt Simonson was himsel
; killed few days later.
+. w. Songer, Lieutenant, Co. C, 1llth H., Col
den, Colo, is greatly interested in Cartoons
history, but thinks that in his account of tn
battle of July y, 1864, before Atlanta, he die
! injustice to the lllth III. The writer says hi
! regiment was not in support Of DE GreSs's bat
/ terry, but was fully half mile from it, At tn
e beginning of the action the lllth was ad
4 vanced TO the front in support Of the skirmish
] line. The regiment became very holly engaged
being attacked in flank and rear. The Colo
Sergeant was wounded, and nearly all the colo
I guard killed, and the flag captured. The reg
I ment lost about 80 men, killed, wounded an,
!, missing
& J. ii. Biting, Co. A. 55th Ohio, Three River
. Mich, agrees with Comrades Taylor and Mot
q in their correction of Cartoons" statemen
. that Wards Division was in reserve at the bat
: tie Of Peach Tree Creek. The writer belonge
I 10 brigade Of that division. and il was in tn
/, advance on that day. The 26th Wis was ahea
and the first regiment 10 engage the enemy
he also corrects Comrade Stacy, of his ow
regiment, who placed the 10Th Ohio in I'll
Third Brigade instead of the 33d Mass. He say
! he saw many dead of the Fourth Corps at Peac
Tree Creek, but none of the Fourteenth Corp
:. Around Chattanooga.
> VIM. Funk, Co. b, 10th Ill, Wellington
Kan, replying 10 Comrade Geo. L. Smith, got
, Ohio battery, who asked whether Sherman &,
q peaceable possession Of the north end Of Mi
. sion Ridge, gives an account of the crossing
the Tennessee at night with mufiled oars b
: troops of Sherman's army, who secured lodg,